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Blasdell martial arts school offers free training to veterans

A Blasdell martial arts school is offering free training to all veterans through the rest of the year.

The Red Dragon School of Martial Arts, inside the McKinley Mall, is making the offer to help soldiers more easily assimilate into home life after returning from duty, or to continue one’s development and maintain good health, or just relieve stress.

“I also teach a program at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and there are a lot of gentlemen you can see who are dealing with a great degree of post-traumatic stress,” school owner and instructor Robert A. Gott said. “This is a chance to remove the financial obligation.”

Gott said veterans of any age are eligible for the benefit.

“I see this as a way of giving back,” he said. “Everyone can realize tremendous benefits from martial arts training, but these benefits are even more pronounced in those dealing with stress.”

The school offers classes in Kung Fu, tai chi, yoga and QiGong. Class times are 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays.

Motions of Kung Fu and tai chi are challenging and complex, he said. They are fun to learn but completely involve the mind, body and spirit.

“The student is completely involved in body awareness and focusing on the lesson. There simply is no room for stress,” Gott said.

Gott, the “sifu,” or teacher, said students typically leave the “quan” – Mandarin for school – feeling energized and stress-free.